DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
This Office Action is a response to Applicant's Amendment filed on 4/29/26. By virtue of this amendment, Applicant elects claims 39-40 are withdrawn with without traverse and thus, claims 22-38 and 41 are currently presented in the instant application.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 22-32, 34-38 and 41 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by JP(H08338887A) in view of CN (113488202A).
With respect to claim 22, JP(H08338887A) discloses in figures 1,3,7-8 that, a cooling management system (figure 3, paragraphs [13,28])for a plasma-facing assembly in a magnetic confinement plasma chamber(vessel(5), paragraph [5),figure 8), the cooling management system comprising: a plurality of coolant unit groups(pluralities of bypass pipes (29), each configured to provide cooling to a respective part of the plasma-facing assembly and being fluidly connected to a coolant source line(21,22), and a valve arrangement(24,30) operable to control a flow rate of coolant from the coolant source line (21,22)to each of the coolant unit groups(29) dependent on the temperature at that coolant unit group(29). Paragraphs [13-17,20-25].
JP(H08338887A) do not explicitly disclose wherein the plurality of coolant unit groups are fluidly connected in series or in parallel.
CN (113488202A) discloses wherein the plurality of coolant unit groups (100) are fluidly connected in series or in parallel. Figures 5-6, paragraphs [38].
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the features of CN (113488202A into the cooling system of JP(H08338887A) to ensure stable operation and heat flow impacts.
With respect to claim 23, JP(H08338887A) discloses, in which the valve arrangement (24) is operable to distribute coolant preferentially to coolant unit groups at higher temperatures as compared to coolant unit groups at lower temperatures. Paragraphs [13-15, 22,28].
With respect to claim 24, JP(H08338887A) discloses the valve arrangement (24,30) is operable to provide greater coolant flow to coolant unit groups at higher temperatures compared to coolant unit groups at lower temperatures. Paragraphs [13-17,22,28].
With respect to claim 25, JP(H08338887A) discloses the valve arrangement (24) comprises a valve for each respective coolant unit group (figure 3,29), and a resistance (21) of each of the valves (24,30) to the flow of coolant therethrough is inversely proportional to a temperature of the valve. Paragraphs [13-17,22,28].
With respect to claim 26, JP(H08338887A) discloses wherein the valve arrangement comprises passive valves. Figure 3.
With respect to claim 27, JP(H08338887A) discloses wherein each of the coolant unit groups (figure 3) comprises a conduit configured to supply coolant to its one or more coolant units and each coolant unit comprises a coolant channel configured to provide coolant to a respective area of said part of the plasma facing assembly. Figures 1 and 3, paragraphs [20-22].
With respect to claim 28, JP(H08338887A) discloses wherein the valve arrangement (24,30) comprises a valve arranged within the conduit of each coolant group. Figures 1 and 3, paragraphs [20-22].
With respect to claim 29, JP(H08338887A) discloses further comprising a controller (31) configured to actuate each valve further closed and open monotonically between a first and a second predetermined temperature to vary the flow resistance of the valve. Figures 1 and 3, paragraphs [13-17,21-22].
With respect to claim 30, JP(H08338887A) discloses wherein each valve is passive. Figures 1 and 3.
With respect to claim 31, JP(H08338887A) discloses wherein each valve (24,30) is configured to: open as the temperature increases from a first predetermined temperature to a second predetermined temperature to monotonically decrease the flow resistance of the valve; and close as the temperature decreases from a second predetermined temperature to a first predetermined temperature to monotonically increase the flow resistance of the valve. Figures 1 and 3, open valve and close valve and paragraphs [13-17 and 20-22].
With respect to claim 32, JP(H08338887A) discloses wherein each valve (24,30,31) comprises one or more stacked expandable elements, having a melting point substantially equal to the second predetermined temperature, such that, when said expandable elements melt, a cap, attached to one end of a rod which is mechanically coupled to said expandable elements, is urged away from a valve seat to open the valve. Figures 1,3, paragraphs [13-22,28] for setting close/open depend on the difference between the two temperatures.
With respect to claim 34, JP(H08338887A) discloses Figures 1,3, paragraphs [13-22,28] for setting close/open depend on the difference between the two temperatures.
JP(H08338887A) do not explicitly disclose wherein the first predetermined temperature is 350 to 450°C and the second predetermined temperature is 550 to 650°C.
The limitations are not of patentable merits since it is directed to a manner of operating the control valve (24,30) and computer (31) as shown in figure 3 of JP(H08338887A) which does not differentiate apparatus claim from the prior art. A claim containing a recitation with respect to the manner in which a claimed apparatus is selected or intended the first predetermined temperature is 350 to 450°C and the second predetermined temperature is 550 to 650°C. to be employed does not differentiate the claimed apparatus from a prior art apparatus if the prior art apparatus teaches all the structural limitations of the claim.
With respect to claim 35, JP(H08338887A) discloses, wherein each valve is located at a junction between the respective conduit and the coolant source line. Figures 1 and 3.
With respect to claim 36, JP(H08338887A) discloses all limitations recited in claim 22 above, except for wherein each group comprises 100 to 10,000 coolant units, more preferably, 1000 to 5000 coolant units.
However, it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to select or intend or set for each group comprises 100 to 10,000 coolant units, more preferably, 1000 to 5000 coolant units and the cooling system of JP(H08338887A) is capable to add or intend or set for each group comprises 100 to 10,000 coolant units, more preferably, 1000 to 5000 coolant units.
With respect to claim 37, JP(H08338887A) as modified claim 22 above, discloses further comprising one or more coolant source lines operable to provide coolant in parallel to a different set of the groups of the coolant unit assembly.
With respect to claim 38, JP(H08338887A) discloses, all limitations recited in claim 22 above, except for wherein each set of groups of the coolant unit assembly comprises 3 to 100 groups.
However, it would have been an obvious matter of design choice to set or select or intend for each set of groups of the coolant unit assembly comprises 3 to 100 groups and the cooling system of JP(H08338887A) is capable to set or intent to use 3 to 100 groups.
With respect to claim 41, JP(H08338887A) discloses a magnetic confinement plasma device comprising the cooling management system according to claim 22. Figures 1 and 3.
Claim 33 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over by JP(H08338887A) in view of Gu (US Patent No:7,685,839).
With respect to claim 32, JP(H08338887A) discloses each valve (24,30) as shown in figure 3.
JP(H08338887A) do not explicitly disclose wherein each valve comprises a structure comprising at least two materials with differing thermal expansion coefficients, wherein the structure is arranged to obstruct flow through the valve to a greater degree at lower temperatures.
Gu, in the same field of endeavor, discloses, an element (valve) comprises a first element comprising a first material and a second element comprising a second material, wherein the first material has a different coefficient of thermal expansion than that of the second material, and the elements are positioned side by side in the plane. See claim 14 of Gu.
It would have been obvious for one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to incorporate the features of Gu into the cooling system of JP(H08338887A) to control/select different material to provide a different coefficient of thermal expansion.
Citation of pertinent prior art
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicants' disclosure. See prior arts/references listed on the PTO-892 form attached.
Inquiry
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to Minh Tran whose telephone number is (571)272-1817. The examiner can normally be reached on 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Taningco Alexander H can be reached on 571-272-8048. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of an application may be obtained from the Patent Application Information Retrieval (PAIR) system. Status information for published applications may be obtained from either Private PAIR or Public PAIR. Status information for unpublished applications is available through Private PAIR only. For more information about the PAIR system, see http://pair-direct.uspto.gov. Should you have questions on access to the Private PAIR system, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from USPTO Customer Service Representative or access to the automated information system, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000.
/Minh Tran/
Primary Examiner
Art Unit 2845
Prosecution Insights